AUBURN – The Maine Board of Education has terminated Mid-State College’s authority to grant degrees.

But the move will likely have little affect on the small, private school, which closed in August.

“It’s the last step in their situation,” said Harry Osgood, higher education specialist for the Maine Department of Education.

Mid-State College, which had campuses in Auburn and Augusta, lost its accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges this summer. Without accreditation, Mid-State College students could no longer qualify for federal financial aid. Without student financial aid, the school could not function.

Mid-State College suddenly shut down one week before classes were scheduled to begin for fall.

On Wednesday, the nine-member State Board of Education voted unanimously to pull Mid-State’s ability to confer degrees.

The move will mean little to the 130-year-old college or its 225 students, Osgood said, but it will help prevent con-artists from using the school’s name to fool prospective students into handing over tuition money.

“There are folks out there looking for exactly this kind of institution,” he said. “There are hundreds of these scams going on.”

According to Mid-State’s attorney, Andrew Cadot, the school handed out transcripts and diplomas to current students during a week-and-a-half period in September.

All other transcripts were sent to the Maine Department of Education, which will distribute copies to current and former students on request.

Cadot said the school’s buildings, computers and equipment will go up for auction on Nov. 10.

Mid-State, which is owned by John S. Hraba, plans to file for bankruptcy in late November or early December, Cadot said.

ltice@sunjournal.com

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